Hubbard Grille — Restaurant in Columbus

I left the review below two months ago and gave the restaurant five stars. I came back today, 11/22/22 and again ordered the salmon plate. But the two plates are just not the same. And, IMHO, Hubbard took a big step backwards with this change.

The salmon plate in August was beautiful and the flavors were delicious, delicate, and distinct. The Nov 2022 salmon plate was a huge disappointment. The salmon still tasted great but there was only one other flavor, a heavy and sweet glaze. The asparagus was replaced with meaningless and pointless kale. The rice in the August plate was replaced by equally meaningless quinoa. Both the kale and the quinoa added nothing to the plate other than a vehicle for delivering the sweet glaze. There were only two flavors in this dish, and rather than compliment one another, they were in competition.

The second most disappointing aspect of this November salmon plate is the introduction of a potato squash chunks. I cared neither for their flavor as a paring with salmon, however much disguised by the sweet glaze, nor for their dry, mushy texture.

But the most disappointing aspect of the November plate when compared to the August plate was the substantially reduced size of the salmon portion. I finished the plate, which, by the way, was about the same price as the original, in just a few minutes and then picked up the menu in search for more.

That story would have warranted 4 stars because the salmon itself was still tasty and properly cooked. But, it’s three, because I was also disappointed by the facts that Hubbard discontinued the olive dish, which I was looking forward to as an appetizer, and they were out of cheese cake, their most appealing dessert, and they let Vee go (pictured), the most entertaining of bartenders.

So, on this particular night, I’ll finish my now routine drive from Akron to Cincinnati feeling sorry that I didn’t try something new on the amazing High Street in Columbus OH.

August 2022…

This place is amazing.

Great food, great atmosphere, and great service.

Ask Vee the bartender about his hand crafted cocktails. They’re awesome!

Never tell a chef how to do his or her job. Always order your steak or salmon, “Chef’s preference” and you’ll never be disappointed.

Can’t wait to come back with the family!

Great prices on Calamari and Brussel sprouts during happy hour.

First date? The marinated olives will relax the atmosphere and fuel your...

After a day of exploring Columbus, we had happy hour at Hubbard Grille. They have happy hour Tues-Fri from 4-6pm in bar and patio area. They have $5 appetizers (Jalapeños Corn Bread, Fried Chicken Sliders, Sweet and Spicy Calamari, Southwestern Skillet Dip, Crispy Brussels Sprouts) and $5 Drinks (House Wine, all draft beer, Sangria, Agave Cooler, the Cider House Mule, House highball).

We enjoyed HH food and drinks on their outdoor patio. Jeff was friendly, had a good sense of humor, and attentive. He ensured that we had everything we needed and checked on us periodically. The service was excellent!

For drinks, I'd recommend the Hub Sangria and The Cider House Mule. The Hub Sangria consisted of red wine, blackberry, citrus, and ginger ale served over the rocks. The Cider House Mule consisted New Amsterdam Vodka, apple cinnamon shrub, and lime juice, served over the rocks in a copper mug, and garnished with apple wedge. It was light, sweet, fruity, and refreshing.

For appetizers, I recommend the Marinated Olives, Fried Chicken Sliders, Crispy Brussels Sprouts, and Sweet and Spicy Sliders as they were all delicious in their own way.

The Marinated Olives consisted of imported olives marinated with orange peels and other herbs/spices.

The Fried Chicken Sliders consistes of all natural chicken tenders, cider honey glaze, mayonnaise, and pickle spear on a toasted Haiwaiian bun.

The Crispy Brussels Sprouts consisted of roasted brussels sprouts finished with a sweet and tangy red wine reduction.

The Sweet and Spicy Calamari consisted of crispy calamari rings and tentacles, fried lemon slices garnished with daikon sprouts and sesame seeds, and served with a sweet, sour, tangy, and spicy aioli on the side...

This is a tough one. Was our first trip. The staff, the ambiance, and the drinks were all top notch. We opted for a "flight" of appetizers in place of ordering meals. Though we were interested in several of the entrées...at least until we received our apps. We ordered the Short Ribs and Shrimp, the Coconut Curry Mussels, and the Calamari. The presentation on all three was incredible, looking almost too good to eat. But, that's were our admiration ended for the mussels and the short ribs and shrimp.

The curry for the mussels was nearly tasteless and made it more of a mess to eat than anything. Though, the mussels themselves were cooked perfectly, which can be a difficult task. Overall, the taste was just lacking something.

Same cab be said for the short ribs and shrimp. Aside from the cheese in the grits, there was nothing in the flavor to add a pop to the dish. Again, everything was prepared perfectly, but lacked any flavor. I'm all for letting the way food is cooked determine the flavor, but there needs to be something done to enhance that. Be it using some spices during braising, or a hardwood during roasting/grilling. For these, there was nothing.

And then there was the calamari. Wow! To say this was a perfect dish is an understatement! Flavorful, crispy, tender, savory, and just a tad sweet! Everything you would want with a calamari dish. And this perfection of texture and flavor was achieved on the most difficult of the three dishes.

So, with the cost of our evening, compared to two out of three dishes being so-so flavor-wise, I have to say three stars. Maybe the entrées are as excellent as they read on the menu, but I'm hesitant to try after having such a mediocre experience...